TAHIR AMIN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports declined by 9.89 percent, standing at $2.132 billion in January 2021 against $2.366 billion in December 2020, says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The PBS on Monday released trade figures, showing that Pakistan’s trade deficit widened by 21.03 percent to $2.601 billion in January 2021 compared to $2.149 billion in January 2020.

The data revealed that Pakistan’s trade deficit, however, narrowed by 1.44 percent to $2.601 billion in January 2021 compared to $2.639 billion in December 2020.

The country’s imports were recorded at $4.733 billion in January 2021 compared to $5.005 billion in December 2020, registering a 5.43 percent negative growth.

Exports witnessed a 9.89 percent negative growth, standing at $2.132 billion in January 2021, compared to $2.366 billion in December 2020.

The country’s imports stood at $4.733 billion in January 2021, compared to $4.121 billion in January 2020, registering a 14.85 percent growth. Exports witnessed an 8.11 percent growth, standing at $2.132 billion in January 2021, compared to $1.972 billion in January 2020.

The data further shows that the country’s trade deficit widened by 8.27 percent to $14.963 billion in July-January 2020-21, compared to $13.820 billion in July-January 2019-20.

Trade figures show that the country’s imports stood at $29.205 billion in July-January 2020-21, compared to $27.316 billion in July-January 2019-20, registering a 6.92 percent growth.

The country’s exports witnessed a 5.53 percent growth, standing at $14.242 billion in July-January 2020-21 compared to $13.496 billion in July-January 2019-20.

The Ministry of Commerce last week released data, according to which exports crossed the $2 billion mark for four months running for the first time in the last eight years.

However, a slight variation was found when compared to the PBS data.

According to the Commerce Ministry, exports in January 2021 have increased by eight percent to $2.135 billion as compared to $1.978 billion in January 2020.

However, according to the PBS, exports remained $2.132 billion in January 2021 compared to $1.972 billion.

Further, according to the ministry, the export data for the period July-January 2020-21 showed that the exports increased by 5.5 percent to $14.245 billion as compared to $13.507 billion during the same period of last year.

However, according to the PBS, exports stood at $14.242 billion during July-January 2020-21 compared to $13.496 billion July-Jan 2019-20.